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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James D. Purtte. He whose name heads this sketch is one of Hempstead County’s substantial and enterprising young agriculturists. He was born in this county on April 9, 1853, and here his boyhood and more mature years have been spent. His father, Laurence C. Purtte, was born in Bibb County, Ala., in 1822, and there spent his life up to the age of thirty years, at which time he immigrated to Arkansas, and made a home in Hempstead County, in which he has resided ever since. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary A. Billingsley, was a native of Mississippi, and bore him twelve children—eight sons and four daughters— seven of whom—five sons and two daughters— survive, namely: Patrick M , Thomas J., James D., George M., Leonora A. (wife of J. J. Gubbs), Edmon H. and Berenice. The parents are both members of the Baptist Church, and are highly esteemed by all in the community. They make their home in this county. The father belongs to the Masonic fraternity; he served the Confederate cause during the late war, from 1862 until the close of the war, by making shoes for the Confederate soldiers. The immediate subject of this sketch commenced life on his own responsibility in 1878, by marrying Miss Margaret J. Adams, daughter of William and Mary (Smith) Adams. She was born in Alabama in 1855. They are the parents of five children—four sons and one daughter—namely: Christopher C, Sidney S., Mary M., Laurence C. and John V. Mr. Purtte has been very successful in a financial way, and is the fortunate owner of 232 acres of good farming land, well improved, with good buildings, etc. He and wife belong to the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 131 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Hempstead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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